Malkut
Geography Malkut is the southernmost continent, and is the home of the Khamael races, the Gevuran Children of the Flesh. It is mostly icy wastes, mesa-like platelands, and thick evergreen forests. Malkut is a harsh and unforgiving land, where survival is a battle and dominance an ongoing effort. Alon Forest This forest is a dense collection of hardy evergreens south of the Trahil Greenwoods. Pine is most common, but there are many evergreen oaks and firs. Most of the wildlife is aboreal, being especially numerous in areas of heavy oak concentration. While the shinalupe pack predators were originally indigenous to the Greenwoods, they have been steadily migrating south into the remote Alon Forest to escape aggressive Khamael trappers that value their fur and teeth. The western reaches of this region kiss the base of the Kephur Platlands, and the vertical slopes occasionally send a tumbling boulder or chunk of ice down to rest among the evergreens. In the southeastern segment of the Alon, there are several lakes situated where the trees begin to thin, made possible only by volcanic activity deep underground, not uncommon in Malkut. Also of note in the Alon forest is the city of Amichai. (Located at 19H, 19I, 20I, 21J, 22I, 22J) Cephast Hills West of the Kephur Platelands, these rocky, ice-covered mounds are one of the less noteworthy regions of Malkut. Few Khamael venture to these hills, only coming as close as the sand-covered badlands at the northern border. A few legends tell of hermits or ancient spirits inhabiting the remote peaks, but these tales give little incentive to seek out the truth. Some Khamael remain convinced there are secrets hidden within the Cephast region, and the area sees a party of determined explorers every few years. (Located at 22G) Delhor Coast A rather desolate stretch of rocky beach, the Selhor coast lies just northwest of the Cephast Hills. Like the rocky lands south of it, there is little of interest here, unless one considers relative peace and comfort in a land as harsh as Malkut to be of interest. It is a very large beach, with the sand reaching quite far inland. This is because the nearby water is prone to large waves that travel very far inland, possibly due to Leviathan activity, though it has calmed considerably in recent centuries. Most of the creatures in this area are quite small and non-aggressive, though some of the sea-crabs can grow large enough to threaten a traveler caught unawares. This is an unusual sight, as the larger crabs rarely come ashore. It's much more common to see a group of smaller crustraceans making off with the supplies of a sleeping camper. (Located at 21G) Hebelar Steamfields An area of Malkut with volcanic activity constantly going on beneath the rocky ground, the steamfields live up to their name in earnest. The area is a minefield of bubbling white-algae pools and mud-holes, hot springs, and, of course, gysers. Some of the larger gysers can send sprays hundreds of feet in the air, and leave huge curtains of mist hanging in the air. In winter, when the air is particualrly cold, the steamfields become a literal field of steam, a hazy mist hanging over the area and hiding the boiling pools underneath. Though it is one of the few areas in Malkut that hosts a multitude of insectoid species, very little larger wildlife inhabits this region, the most notable exception being the zavelar rock-tortoise. (Located at 18G) Kephur Platelands The Kephur Platelands dominate the horizon of Malkut, reaching up to kiss the sky in many places, with several mountains stretching far above the clouds. They are a collection of high-altitude, flat-topped mesas with nearly vertical slopes, and only the hardiest of plant and animal life can hope to survive there. The highest are said to conceal odd creatures or other fantastic marvels at their flat peaks, though even the most tenacious Ke find it an arduous task to venture anywhere near the tops of the high platelands. (Located at 20H, 21H, 21I, 22H) Kochav Iceplains The Iceplains are barren and frozen lands, though underground caverns and volcanically-warmed springs beneath the frozen land support a wide variety of different lifeforms. Patches of geothermal heat allow tough grasses to grow and "oases" to form, the largest of which can go on for miles, and it's assured these are thriving centers of life in the inhospitable land. The great, open plains are home to the resilient ice tribes. Several large and powerful creatures inhabit this land, and it is home to the largest population of behemoths in the world. (Located at 23H, 23I, 23J, 23K, 24H, 24I, 24J, 24K.) Trahil Greenwoods Expansive pine and deciduous forest on the Northeastern coast of Malkut, this place is the ancestral home of the Khamael-Tra. It is fairly temperate in the summer months, but during winter, when the wind comes from the ice-fields of the south, it can become quite cold indeed. The woods are home to several varied animal species and many plants, and overall is very lush compared to other regions of Malkut. The terrain is not nearly as rocky as farther east, but still sports some rolling hills and vales that can be steep in certain areas. (Located at 18H) Yetzah Peninsula Easily the most populated area of the continent, the Yetzah Peninsula is home to a great deal of farmland, having the most verdant and fertile soil in all Malkut. It is here that the eldest sons of Gevurah first arose, from the feather-stripped wing of Eshale. At the tip of the peninsula is the great city of Yetzirah, the cradle of the entire Ke race. This land sees a lot of visitors, and is as far into Malkut as most non-Khamael are likely to go. (Located at 17I) Notable Landmarks Ha-Shul Upon a high plateau in the Platelands, about half as high as the upmost peak, the Ke constructed a temple to Gevurah. As with all Gevuran religious centers, its purpose is rather martial, serving as a training ground for military forces and warrior castes from Yetzirah and other Ke settlements. The monks there specialize in various weapons, instructing the next generations of Khamael warriors. There are quite a few Tra at the Ha-Shul as well, passing on knowledge of their more subtle arts to any who visit them. Despite this martial flavor, much of the duties among the temple staff resemble concepts other races would identify as properly "monastic": the writing and copying of manuscripts, meditating on the histories and legends of the past, and the pursuit of divine and magical knowledge.'' (Located at 21I) '' Cities Amichai The greatest concentration of Khamael-Tra is at Amichai, the City in the Forest. The homes are built into and among the large trees of the northern Alon Forest, often in curving and organic patterns. Catwalks, bridges, and sometimes swinging ropes connect platforms built into the upper trunks and branches in the thick forest, making the city very difficult for most outsiders to navigate. Several Ke also inhabit the city, forming a large woodcutting industry to support the massive shipyards of Yetzirah. (Located at 17AP) Shunit The aqautic brethren of the Khamael-Ke, the Sut, live on large village-ships produced at Yetzirah. The floating city of Shunit consists of several of these ships lashed and interconnected, with additional constructions added on over the years so that it hardly resembles a fleet of ships clustered together anymore. Great care must be taken to maintain the integrity of the floating hulls, however, against the ravages of time. Shunit serves as a maritime trading hub, as well as a resting place for any ships crossing the local seas. For this reason, the Sut of Shunit are often skillful traders and brokers, and the amount of traffic through the city even rivals that of Yetizrah.'' (Located at 23AI)'' Yetzirah The largest city in Malkut, and the center of all Khamael culture, Yetzirah is a bustling center of activity and trade between the southwestern regions of Veria. It is located in the far north of Malkut, and therefore enjoys a much more moderate temperature, with southern winds cooling it in the summer and northern winds warming it in winter. Though originally dominated by the massive coastal shipyards, residential and mercantile infrastructure grew quickly around the prosperous yards, as well as large regions of agricultural development to the south. The Khamael-Ke are the majority in Yetzirah, but it's quite common to see Tra or Sut within the city, and even members of other races such as the Creudyn.'' (Located at 19AL)'' Features: Great Shipyards - The Great Shipyards of Yetzirah are the pride of the Ark-Sa shipcrafters. Ships built there can be found in many distant lands, including the mighty village-ships of the sea-dwelling Sut and the vessels that form the backbone of Shunit. These ships are built to last, and with proper maintenance, can continue ruling the seas for centuries, as long as the magic crafted into them holds. -- Geography Category:Geography